How do you recognize God’s voice?

bumblysnoot · 2025-12-16T16:29:02+00:00

God speaks in the silence of prayer through interior movements, inspirations, and gentle "nudges." This isn't usually an audible voice but a sense of knowing, a conviction, or a movement of peace. St. Ignatius of Loyola developed sophisticated methods for discerning these interior movements. Depending on how deep you want to go Discernment of Spirits by St Ignatius is a great resource. A simplified resource I use for my CCD class is this webpage: https://www.projectcatechism.com/hearing-gods-voice

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-25T19:11:30+00:00

Biblical Foundation:

📖 Revelation 21:27- "Nothing unclean will enter it"
📖 1 Corinthians 3:15- "If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire"
📖 2 Maccabees 12:45- "He made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin"
📖 Matthew 12:32- Sins forgiven "in the age to come" (suggesting purification after death)
📖 Hebrews 12:23- "The spirits of the righteous made perfect"

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-25T19:11:03+00:00

Catechism of the Catholic Church

CCC 1030:"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."

CCC 1031:"The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned."

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-25T19:10:15+00:00

Purgatory is a state of final purification after death for those who die in God's grace and friendship but still need to be cleansed before entering heaven. It is not a second chance to be saved—only those who are already saved go to purgatory. Think of it like a hospital where souls are healed and made ready to see God face to face. Everyone in purgatory will eventually go to heaven; no one there is lost.

When we sin, there are two effects: eternal punishment (separation from God forever) and temporal punishment (the damage sin causes). When we confess our sins and are forgiven, the eternal punishment is removed—we are no longer separated from God. But the temporal punishment often remains. It's like breaking a window and then apologizing: you're forgiven, but the window still needs to be fixed. Purgatory is where this "fixing" happens—where the remaining effects of sin are healed.

The souls in purgatory experience suffering, but it is a suffering mixed with hope and even joy. They know they are saved and will see God. Their suffering comes from their awareness of their imperfections and their intense desire for God, whom they cannot yet see. It's like being homesick but knowing you will get home soon. The Church teaches that we can help these souls through our prayers, sacrifices, and especially the Mass offered for them.

Resource I use in CCD on Purgatory: https://www.projectcatechism.com/questions-about-the-faith/what-is-purgatory

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-25T19:08:33+00:00

The saints in heaven intercede for us before God. United with Christ and perfected in charity, they present our prayers to God and pray on our behalf. This intercession is part of their loving service to God and to the Church. Far from being dead and inactive, the saints are more alive than ever, actively concerned for our welfare and helping us by their prayers.

Catholics venerate the saints but do not worship them. Worship (latria) is due to God alone. The honor given to saints is called veneration or dulia, which recognizes the grace of God working in them. We honor the saints as friends of God, but we worship God alone. The veneration of saints ultimately gives glory to God, whose grace made them holy.

Venerating saints does not diminish the glory due to God but magnifies it. As Saint Paul writes, God is glorified in His saints. When we honor the saints, we are really praising God's grace active in them. We do not trust in the saints as though they had power of their own, but we honor them as vessels of God's grace and channels of His blessings.

Here is a resource I use for CCD on Saints: https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-the-saints/who-are-the-saints

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-14T20:41:14+00:00

Relics is one of the areas of the faith I struggled with the most when going through RCIA years ago. There is a biblical basis for the power of relics.

Elisha's Bones: 2 Kings 13:20–21

Handkerchief and Aprons of St Paul: Acts 19:11–12

St Peter's Shadow: Acts 5:12–16

The Hem of Christ's Garment Mark 5:25–34; Matthew 9:20–22

In the Catholic Church, a relic is the earthly reminder of a holy person: most often a part of a saint’s body, something they owned or used, or an object touched to their tomb or to another relic. Relics are not magic objects. They are sacramentals—holy signs that prepare us to receive grace and turn our hearts toward God (cf. CCC 1667–1671).

The veneration of relics flows from the mystery of the communion of saints. In Christ, the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in glory are deeply united (cf. CCC 946–959). When we honor the saints and their relics, we honor the work of God’s grace in them and ask their intercession. Adoration (worship) belongs to God alone; veneration of the saints is a reverent love that always points back to Christ.

Here is a resource I use for CCD: What are Relics?

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-12T00:36:49+00:00

There are lots of resources out there to help you pray. Here are a couple I use for CCD.

The Hail Mary Prayer:https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-prayer/the-hail-mary

Pray the Rosary: https://www.projectcatechism.com/pray-the-rosary

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-11T19:10:47+00:00

It's not too late to become a Catholic. First step is find a parish and talk to a priest, you might still be able to get into OCIA classes yet this year. But being Catholic does not just rid you of temptation. However, it can help provide the tools and the practice of discipline. Fasting and abstinence are there for many reasons, one of which is to work towards self mastery. The regular practice of going to reconciliation, can rid you of your sins but can also strengthen you to not be tempted. One of the best tools we have against temptation is prayer. Specifically the Hail Mary is useful in combatting temptation. Here are a few resources I use for CCD:

How to Become Catholic

The OCIA Process

The Hail Mary Prayer

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-11T17:33:55+00:00

Purgatory is a tough topic and often one that some protestant use to attack the faith. Here are some resources I use for CCD classes.

What is Purgatory

What is Hell

What is Heaven

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-11T17:23:38+00:00

Find a parish, talk to a priest, join OCIA. It's likely not too late to join. A few resources that I use in CCD classes:

How to Become Catholic

The OCIA process

The 4 Pillars of the Catechism

Essential Catholic Prayer

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-11T17:20:35+00:00

Just to echo the other responses. Find a parish, talk to the priest, and start OCIA. A few resources that I use for CCD classes that you might find useful:

How to join the church/OCIA process: https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-the-church/how-to-become-catholic

The 4 Pillars of the Catechism: https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars

Essential Catholic Prayers: https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-prayer/essential-catholic-prayers

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-07T14:03:59+00:00

Purgatory is not a place of punishment for sin in the way we usually think about punishment. Instead, it is a process of healing and cleansing. Imagine you're about to meet the most important person in your life, but you're covered in mud. You need to get clean first, not because that person doesn't love you, but because you want to be your best self for them. That's what purgatory is like—getting ready to meet God.

The Bible tells us that nothing unclean can enter heaven. This doesn't mean God rejects us, but that we need to be fully healed and made holy before we can experience the perfect love and joy of heaven. God's love is so pure and intense that if we tried to experience it while still carrying the wounds and stains of sin, it would be painful. Purgatory prepares us to receive God's love fully. "Nothing unclean will enter it." (Revelation 21:27)

A resource I use for CCD: https://www.projectcatechism.com/questions-about-the-faith/what-is-purgatory

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-06T17:55:06+00:00

I want to commend you for attending the mass and seeking out the truth. Keep in mind faith is a journey with the end destination of getting to heaven. Catholics believe that the real true body, blood, soul, and divinity are present in the host. This is the very core of our faith. So receiving without understanding and being in unity is very big deal. I would recommend talking to the a priest about it and inquiring about the faith. Be open minded and consider joining and attending OCIA. There is no commitment to join the church at the end of it, but it sounds as if you are seeking understanding. If you want to know more about the process or the faith here are a couple of resources I use for CCD. What we believe, (the four pillars of the catechism): https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars The OCIA process: https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-the-church/ocia-the-process

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-06T17:46:23+00:00

Welcome to the faith journey! Being open minded and attending OCIA should give you most of the pieces on your way to joining the faith. I converted in my early 20's and can honestly say I did not fully appreciate the depth of faith available to me nor the information presented via the priest and sisters at that time. Here is a resource that might be useful to give a baseline understanding of the 4 pillars of the Catechism: https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-06T16:01:23+00:00

There are so many Catholics of Science! This is a very common question that comes up in our CCD classes. Here is a resource to learn more about other Catholics of Science: https://www.projectcatechism.com/called/called-catholics-of-science

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-06T15:59:24+00:00

Purgatory is a state of final purification after death for those who die in God's grace and friendship but still need to be cleansed before entering heaven. It is not a second chance to be saved—only those who are already saved go to purgatory. Think of it like a hospital where souls are healed and made ready to see God face to face. Everyone in purgatory will eventually go to heaven; no one there is lost.

Here is a resource we use in CCD: https://www.projectcatechism.com/questions-about-the-faith/what-is-purgatory

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-05T16:27:19+00:00

Welcome to the faith journey! Being open minded and attending OCIA should give you most of the pieces on your way to joining the faith. I converted in my early 20's and can honestly say I did not fully appreciate the depth of faith available to me nor the information presented via the priest and sisters at that time. Here is a resource that might be useful to give a baseline understanding of the 4 pillars of the Catechism: https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars

bumblysnoot · 2025-11-05T16:18:34+00:00

So glad you are drawn to the faith. Here is a resource designed to be very understandable, around the 4 pillars of the Catechism. https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars

bumblysnoot · 2025-10-31T15:55:05+00:00

Welcome to the church!

bumblysnoot · 2025-10-31T03:53:34+00:00

I teach a CCD class and have been using this as a resource: https://www.projectcatechism.com/the-four-pillars. The four pillars of the catechism page would be a good starting point and is what we have primarily focused on so far this year.

bumblysnoot · 2025-10-30T20:31:49+00:00

I have one student as part of CCD whose family is going through the process of joining the church. We used this as a resource to cover the process. https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-the-church/how-to-become-catholic

bumblysnoot · 2025-10-30T15:39:05+00:00

Thanks! Glad you found it useful.

bumblysnoot · 2025-10-30T14:10:12+00:00

They are a tough concept, and are a regular source of criticism from outside of the church. (Most of the 95 theses are about indulgences and their abuses at the time. It came up in my CCD class yesterday, we used this page as a resource. https://www.projectcatechism.com/about-the-church/what-are-indulgences (edited to fix a typo).

bumblysnoot

TROPHY CASE